Nick Vigarino has been a fixture in the thriving Northwest scene for a number of years, and for his inventive approach to blues, has taken home a handful of Washington Blues Society awards. Nick has accompanied Long John Baldry with the "Flying Blues Circus" tour. In addition to fronting his own band, Vigarino plays with Meantown Blues who fuse Chicago and Delta styles.
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Nick Vigarino plays in the time-honored tradition of the Delta Blues. His rough and gritty style could easily be compared to Elmore James or Skip James. His mastery of the guitar, Dobro and harmonica, combined with smoky vocals, give Vigarino the ability to perform as a solo artist as well as with a band. It was with this ingenuity that sent him to compete at the 2002 International Blues Competition in Memphis Tennessee.
Victims of Cool capture the essence of Nick's versatility as a player and songwriter. Vigarino showcases his finger pickin' brilliance on the commencing track with the instrumental 'Barefoot Annie'. Adding a bit of rockabilly flavoring to the mix, Nick and company pay homage to blues great Robert Johnson with a rendition of '32/20 Blues'. The guitarist plugs in on, and gets loose, on 'Blacktop Road' where a killer sax solo by Jon Goforth is unleashed along with Nick's funky slide work. 'Daddy Rolls It Home' is a straight-ahead mid-tempo shuffle featuring Jay Thomas on trumpet as the bridge experiments a bit with jazz. The slide player wraps things up with the help of Seattle Blues diva, Kathi McDonald lending her sumptuous vocals to this acoustic heartrending ballad, 'If it Wasn't For Love'.
Produced by drummer Chris Leighton, who plays all percussion on this CD and also recently joined Nick's band as a full-time member, the recording has a live ambiance. Nick Vigarino's Victims of Cool combines various musical styles, but the underlying spirit of this recording comes from the Mississippi Delta, where it all started.
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